Irish Daily Mirror

Road has form to Respect

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TODAY’S Cheltenham Gold Cup is a wide-open affair and, with 18 runners, has attracted a bigger field than usual.

It’s not a strong race for statistics but we can rule out contenders:

■ Previously beaten in a Gold Cup.

■ Not won in Grade 1 company.

That leaves us five qualifiers — American, Edwulf, Might Bite, Road To Respect and Total Recall.

Of those place fodder at best.

has a nearperfec­t profile but has wayward tendencies — is probably inherited from his sire Scorpion.

He’s the obvious pick for many, but the fact he’s messed about up the run-in both times he’s raced here is off-putting.

deserves his chance but it’s a major step up from winning a Ladbroke off a lowly mark to being a Gold Cup contender.

deserves respect having recovered from collapsing in last year’s National Hunt Chase.

He narrowly beat Outlander by a neck last month but that line of form leads us to Noel Meade’s

His Leopardsto­wn win over Christmas is the best performanc­e on offer this season.

He’s a Festival winner, he won’t mind the ground and he’s owned by all-conquering Ryanair boss Michael O’leary.

Have 4pts win at 14-1 with Boylesport­s.

 ??  ?? GOLDEN TOUCH Noel Meade’s Road To Respect
GOLDEN TOUCH Noel Meade’s Road To Respect

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